A trusting matter?

Big words: vulnerability, compassion and trust. But as you know, how we do the small things is how we do everything. So, let’s bring the big words into the small things in everyday life and leadership.

It’s worth doing a self-study of how much you trust others – which means, how much you trust yourself.

The Scandinavian countries are at the top of the list with 68% of the population trusting others – with most other countries being in the 30s or even lower (from Stephen Covey, The Speed of Trust). This high level of trust impacts the quality of relationships and to many people’s surprise also the tangible results of speed and cost: the more trust there is present in a relationship, a team, an organisation or a country, the faster we are able to get things done – with the least trouble and costs, financially and emotionally.

So, where are you on the scale of trusting others? Which eventually comes back to trusting yourself. Do you trust yourself enough to share vulnerability and compassion – and trust others to receive it? Do you trust yourself and others enough to delegate and follow up with clear expectations? And in both instances, do you trust yourself enough to continue doing it even when the reaction is not as expected from the start?

Most people are expecting you to do to them what has already been done, which is often not a pretty picture. We’re all wounded or hurt in some way – which shows in the low trust results for most countries.

Start surprising your team or someone you care about this coming week: show them trust. And then continue doing it. That’s you being vulnerable – and bringing a bit more compassion to your life and leadership. A trusting matter, indeed.